Free-play device



OGLk 13, 1942- H. E. WILLIAMS ET A1. 2,298,605

FREE-PLAY DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 1938 4 f arfgmzziams A "50 mJyfzao/z/Lulrazz la J INVENTORS.

45 :wf/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 13, 1942 FREE-PLAY DEVICE Harry E. Williams and Lyndon A.Durant, Chicago, Ill., assignors to A. B. T. Manufacturing Corp.,Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application November 19, 1938,Serial No. 241,310

2 Claims.

This invention has as one of its principal objects the provision ofrepeat operating or freeplay control mechanism for use in amusementapparatus of the type employing a4 coin-operated control, thearrangement being such that whenever a player achieves a certain scoreor objective, the free-play mechanism will be actuated to condition thecoin-operated control for operation to free the game for another roundof play without the necessity of depositing another coin in the control.I

Viewed from another aspect, it is an important object of the inventionto provide, in combination, a control device having detent meansarranged to latch an actuating -member or slide whenever the latter ismanipulated without deposit of a coin therein, the presence of a coinpreventing operation of the detent means so that the actuating member orslide may be effectively moved, and means including a movable stopmember normally disposed in ineffective position near the detent meansand movable into stopping relation t-o the detent means so that thelatter cannot latch the actuating member or slide even though no coin isdeposited in the latter, and electrically energized means operated, as aresult of achieving a predetermined score or objective in playing thegame, for moving the stop means into stopping position relative to thedetent means so that the operating control ."1

may be actuated without deposit of a coin therein.

Another and more specific object is the combination, with acoin-operated control of the reciprocable slide variety, of free-playmeans including a dog arranged to project its nose into latchingengagement with the slide when no coin is carried by the latter, and astopping member mounted for movement from a normally ineifectiveposition into position relative to the dog to Fig. 1 is a fragmentarysectionalized perspective of a game apparatus employing the novelfree-play means;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the coin control andfree-play means, as viewed in the direction of line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the coincontrol and free-play means, as viewed in the direction of line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the coin control or slide and detent means;While Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram and scheme of the free-play means.

In a preferred arrangement such as shown in Fig. 1, the free-playmechanism is utilized in conjunction with an amusement apparatus or gameincluding a cabinet Iii having arranged therein an inclined playboard orheld I I in which there are one or more ball openings I2 through whichballs or other projectiles projected onto the board by means well knownin the art may become lodged to operate a control instrumentality, suchas the switch I3, to close the contacts I4 and I5 thereof. The switchesI3 are mounted on a sliding frame or shuiiie member I6 having a pendentarm I'I engaged by the inner end I3 of an actuating control which, inthis instance, is the reciprocable slide I9 or" a coin chute 20.

The coin chute 2li is preferably of thefamiliar reciprocable slidevariety including a frame 01' sleeve structure 2l projectinghorizontally from a vertical mounting plate 22 and in which sleeve theslide- I9 is mounted for a back and forth movement. The slide I9 (Fig.4) is provided with a coin pocket 25 into which a suitable coin isdeposited for movement by the slide within the plane of the same in adirection inwardly of the frame and slide member 2|.

Means is provided in the form of a coin-operated detent for normallylatching the slide against effective movement when no coin has beendeposited in the pocket 25. In the preferred arrangement, the aforesaiddetent means includes (Fig. 3) a dog pivotally mounted as at 3| on adepending ear 32 from the bottom sleeve portion 2| of the slide, thisdog having a nose 33 opposite a tail 30, the nose projectingthrough anopening 34 upwardly for movement into the coin pocket 25, a spring 35normally urging the dog to project its nose into the pocket to preventeffective inward movement of the slide. When a suitable coin is disposedin the pocket 25, it will be engaged by the nose of the dog so that saidnose will be prevented from moving into latching or stopping engagementwith the slide, and the latter may therefore be moved inwardly to thelimit of its stroke whereupon the coin carried thereby will beautomatically ejected from the pocket by means well known in the art.

The manner in which the latching nose 33 of the .dog projects into thecoin pocket to latch the slide is illustrated in Fig. 4.

When a suitable coin is deposited in the slide and the same is movedinwardly, the inner end portion I8 thereof engages the pendent memberI'I on the shuille frame and moves the latter to withdraw the switch orswitches I3 from beneath their respective ball pockets or openings I2,so that any trapped balls may be freed for use in playing the game, themechanism and means for eiecting movement of the balls back onto theplayeld not constituting part of the present invention and being so wellknown in the art that detailed description of the same herein is deemedunnecessary.

Assuming that the lodgement of a ball into the opening I2 of Fig. 1constitutes the achievement of a particular score or objective inplaying the illustrative game, it is an object of the invention toreward the achievement by conditioning the game for further play withoutdeposit of a coin in the control slide, and means for accomplishing thisincludes the provision of a stop member in the form of a magneticallyattractable arm 40 which is mounted in the region below the tail 30 ofthe dog or detent means (Figs. l, 2, 3) for rocking movement into andout of the plane of the dog, the member 49 having a tail portion 4Iwhich fits into a slot in a horizontally extending portion 42 of amounting bracket 43 attached as at 44 on an inner wall of the cabinetbeneath the coin slide.

Spring means 45 attached to the tail 4I and a lug 46 on the bracketyieldingly urges thestop member 40 into a normal position with its upperoffset edge portion 41 disposed out of the plane of the dog and awayfrom the tail 3i) thereof, so that the latter is free to move in avertical direction into and out of latching engagement with the coinslide.

Means for moving the stop member from ineffective into effectivestopping position relative to the detent means includes the provision ofan electromagnet 50 mounted on the bracket 43 with a pole opposite themagnetically attractable stop member 49 so that when the magnet isenergized, the stop member will be moved into the dotted line positionof Fig. 2 to dispose the offset marginal or edge portion 41 beneath thetail 3U of the dog or .detent means, so that the latter will not be ableto pivot and project its nose 33 into latching engagement or positionrelative to the control device or actuating slide I9.

The stop operating means or magnet 50 is preferably arranged in afree-play circuit such as shown in Fig. 5, wherein one terminal of themagnet 59 is connected by a conductor 55 to one side of a battery 56,and the remaining terminal of the magnet is connected by conductor 51 toone contact 58 of a dial switch having a normally open companion contact59 connected by a conductor 6B with the return side of the battery, sothat closing of the dial switch contacts 58 and 59 will energize themagnet and move the stop member 40 into blocking position.

The .dial switch has its contact 59 normally held in open circuitposition by a pin 6I on an indicating drum 62 arranged in the gameconveniently to indicate to the player the number of free plays to whichhe is entitled, the drum or dial for this purpose having a series ofindicia characters or numbers arranged along its periphery 63 formovement into indicating position by movement of the drum relative to anindex 64.

The drum or dial 62 is mounted on a shaft 65 which is connected througha slip-clutch device 65 with a ratchet shaft 61. A driving pawl 68mounted on an actuating armature 69 engages the teeth of a ratchet disc'I0 rigid on the shaft 61 so that when the armature 69 is raised, thedial 62 will be turned away from its normal zero position a number ofsteps determined by the number of movements of the armature 69.

The driving ratchet for the dial is operated by a magnet 'II arranged toattract the pawl armature 69 and having one of its terminals connectedby conductor 'I2 to one side of the battery 56 and by a conductor I3 toone of the contacts I5Y of the game-operated or ball switch I3, theremaining contact I4 of which is connected by a conductor 'I4 to thereturn side of the battery.

When the player succeeds in lodging a ball into the pocket I2,`thecontacts I4 and I5 of a ball switch are closed, energizing magnet "IIand pulling up the pawl armature 69 to step the ratchet disc I9 once andmove the dial 62 correspondingly, thus indicating, for example, one freeplay. This movement of the dial withdraws the pin 6I from engagementwith the contact 59 of the dial switch, and the latter closes, thusenergizing magnet 5G and moving the blocking or stop member i9 intoblocking position beneath the dog or detent means on the coin slide, itbeing observed that the dial switch remains closed so long as the dialis out of zero lindicating position. Having played the game tocompletion following deposit of a coin for this purpose, the player isaprised by the dial 52 of the number of free plays which he has to hiscredit, and he thereupon moves the control member or slide I9 inwardlywithout depositing another coin therein, and since the member 4B is inblocking position relative to the tail of the dog, the latter cannotmove to project its nose into the coin pocket although there is no coinin the latter, and the slide is therefore permitted to move inwardly itsfull stroke to engage the shule arm Il and release any balls forrepeated play.

The arrangement is such that the dial 62 is stepped back once for eachfree play operation of the coin slide, mechanism for this purpose notbeing shown, it being pointed out, however, that the slip clutch 65permits such retrograde movement of the dial so that when the latter isrestored to normal position (whether by taking off the free plays bysuccessive operation of the slide or by restoration of the dial by othermaster ccntrol means not shown), the magnet 5E! will be deenergized tocondition the game for further coincontrolled operation.

The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized by otherforms of construction and other modes of operation of the constituentparts of the illustrative embodiment, and the invention is therefore notto be conned to any of the details or particulars set forth herein butis to be interpreted broadly in view of the appended claims which areexpressly intended to include all equivalent arrangements.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for permitting the operation of a coin slide having a coinaperture formed therein, without the deposit of a coin in the coinaperture of the slide, comprising a latching dog normally disposed inposition to engage in the coin aperture to block the movement of thecoin slide when no coin is deposited in the coin aperture of the slide,means pivotally supporting the latohing dog from an immovable portguiding the coin slide, an electromagnet support, an electromagnet onthe support and having a movable armature comprising a plate memberhaving an outer angled end portion to provide a stop adapted to bedisposed in blocking relation with respect to the latch dog when theelectromagnet is energized, and means for energizing said electromagnet.

2. In an auxiliary release means for a coin slide having a coinreceiving aperture formed therein and guided for sliding movement on aframe, said coin slide being normally locked against full inward strokeb-y a spring urged latch dog pivotally arranged on the frame beneath theslide and normally disposed to bear against the latter to engage in thecoin aperture and being normally released for full inward stroke by thedeposit of a coin in the aperture to prevent the 20 latch dog fromentering the same, said auX- iliary release means comprising incombination, an electromagnet support adjacent said coin slide, anelectromagnet on the support, a magnetically attractable armature forsaid electromagnet and arranged for movement relative to the latter onsaid support, a blocking means associated with said armature formovement with the latter and disposed to move into and out of blockingposition relative to said latch dog, spring means normally urging saidarmature and blocking means out of blocking position relative to saidlatch dog, said armature and blocking means moving into blockingposition relative to said latch dog to prevent pivotal movement of thelatter into engagement with the coin aperture when said .electromagnetis energized to attract said armature, and means including a switch foreffecting energization of said electromagnet.

HARRY E. WILLIAMS. LYNDON A. DURANT.

